The mysteries of the east in here please!

This is a Vietnamese recipe that's become a firm family favourite. My son's girlfriend can't eat gluten, lactose or soy products so she always requests this when she's staying with us as it contains no baddies.

Pork and Prawns fried with Lemongrass


Serves 2

1 tablespoon oil
4oz prawns
4oz pork – sliced thinly
I onion cut into strips
2 cloves chopped garlic
½ tablespoon finely chopped lemongrass
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)
½ tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon caramel sauce*

*To make caramel sauce –
Mix 4oz sugar with 4 tablespoons water in a pan. Boil until it starts to change colour, simmer until brown. Add ½ cup cold water and stir. Remove from heat and store in a jar.

Fry onion, garlic and lemongrass. Add meat til it browns. Add prawns, cook for 1 minute. Add fish sauce, sugar and caramel and a little water, cook for 5-10 minutes.

Vietnamese Rice


Wash rice. Put in pan and add enough water to cover rice by 1.5cm. Bring to the boil, with lid off boil for 2 mins. Reduce heat, put lid loosely over and boil for a further 5 mins, or until water has been mostly absorbed. Cover very tightly and cook on minimum heat for 15 more minutes.